House of Possibilities (HOPe)

The mission of House of Possibilities (HOPe) is to make a difference in the lives of children, adults, and families living with developmental challenges by providing high quality programs and much needed relief and hope. HOPe is driven by a core belief that a nurturing environment, paired with skilled and dedicated staff, can inspire in children and adults an appreciation of their abilities and a determination to exceed the expectations of their disabilities, backed by the parents and guardians who are the warriors by their sides. 

Our Vision is a world where all families having loved ones with developmental challenges are ensured access to critically needed support, in a space where children and adults can work towards achieving their highest potential.

HOPe was born through a grassroots initiative led by four co-founders who bonded together through a joint passion to support people with disabilities. They envisioned a facility that could provide sustained respite, and from this HOPe was born in 2003. On July 11, 2009 the doors of our Yawkey House officially opened with the support and generosity of many volunteers, community members, funders and local businesses. Since its opening, HOPe has expanded its services beyond children’s respite to include adult day programs. Over the past 10+ years hundreds of families from 85+ communities across Massachusetts have participated in its programs.

Today, HOPe operates 7 days a week, providing Day and Weekend Programs through community-based activities and onsite programming out of an 11,000-sq-ft home-like facility, which is located on the Stonehill College campus in Easton, MA. We serve close to 200 families annually from over 50 communities across Massachusetts.

House of Possibilities' (HOPe) services for adults include Day Habilitation, Community-Based Day Support, Social & Recreational Programs, and Individual/Group Supported Employment. Services for children and teens include Social & Recreational Programs and the only children's non-emergency Overnight Respite program in MA and beyond. HOPe's respite program was founded with an understanding of the impact that respite can have on the overall health of the family and towards reducing depression, divorce and more. Below is a listing of our Adult and Children's programming. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HOPe has shifted to providing remote services. More details can be found here: https://www.houseofpossibilities.org/about-remote-services

Core HOPe Programs and Services

Children/Teen Social and Recreational Programs

• Overnight Respite: Children experience a sleepover with peers, while opportunities to engage in activities that reduce stress and promote social engagement. It runs every weekend, alternating between boys and girls ages 8-21, from Friday 6:00pm - 10:00am on Sunday.

• Adventure Club (AC) is offered to children ages 8-21. It runs on Saturdays, 10:00 - 4:00pm and fosters children’s social growth and independence, as well as a sense of belonging and inclusion in the world around them as they participate in activities within the community.

• Brunch Bunch is offered two Sundays per month, providing children ages 12-21 with an opportunity to socialize while preparing a meal.

• HOPeMakers runs on Sundays, where groups of participants, staff, and volunteers collaborate on projects in our makerspace, which is designed to foster creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and experimentation.

• Snack & Chat runs on Saturdays and provides members opportunities to socialize while developing the life-skills of food preparation. Friend Zone is offered Sundays and engages members in “typical” teen activities.

 
Adult Programs

• Adult Day Habilitation & Community Based Day Program: Programming is offered 5 days/week for 6/hours each day, where adults are supported in vocational, skill building, community integration, and recreational opportunities.

• Adult Social Programs: In HOPe Club, adults embark on activities off-campus; in Friday Night Lights, participants enjoy activities at our facility; and in Cheerleading Club, members join Stonehill College’s Cheerleading Squad for fall/winter sporting events.

• Employment Support - In June 2019, HOPe was approved by DDS to offer employment support, a focus area of growth in 2020. We are designing a program with a goal of 12 members placed in a supported job by Spring 2020.